The present invention relates to mechanisms for mounting and/or stabilizing computers and computer related hardware.
Traditional designs for computer related equipment, e.g., personal computers, have evolved from the xe2x80x9cstandardxe2x80x9d personal computer, exemplified by the IBM-AT, to small form-factor personal computers (PCs) such as the e-PC manufactured by Hewlett Packard Company. This design development has resulted in many innovative and creative designs reflecting the acceptance of such hardware in the business and home environments. This evolution in design has also been influenced by aesthetic considerations which were previously considered secondary to the basic task of housing the internal computer hardware in a functional casing unit.
Early types of personal computers were generally characterized by horizontally mounted motherboards resulting in a low case profile with a relatively large footprint. This was necessitated by the PC case needing to be sufficiently large to accommodate a motherboard, disk drives, power supplies etc. Early expansion board topologies reinforced the popularity of this type of case construction. However such designs consumed a significant amount of desk or floor space and a number of design solutions were proposed to reduce the PC footprint.
Early adaptations of known PC designs aimed at reducing the PC footprint included mounting the PC case on its side. Such solutions often involved simply tilting a standard PC on its edge, or constructing the case and chassis in a vertical orientation. Designs of the latter type are referred to as xe2x80x9ctowerxe2x80x9d configurations and sometimes involve the redesign of the internal hardware topology of the computer to accommodate this orientation.
A common problem with such configurations is that upright or slim line computer cases can be unstable and prone to tipping. This is particularly so if the computer is located on the floor or perhaps if additional hardware components, for example external disk drives etc, are located on top of the computer case.
Early simple solutions included providing a separate resilient plastic xe2x80x9cfootxe2x80x9d device in the form of a cradle into which an edge-mounted PC case was slid. Such designs are not ideal because PC cases come in a variety of dimensions and not all feet can accommodate every PC model. Other solutions include integrally molding an outwardly oriented flange or rim into the base of the tower case. Others include incorporating molded or extruded rails mounted along the edge of the computer casing to extend the footprint slightly. Such arrangements can increase the footprint and improve stability. However, they may not be ideal because they often do not provide sufficient stability and flexibility in terms of operating functions (cooling etc). These modifications can also interfere with aesthetic aspects of the casing as well as hamper the ability to quickly and easily reorient the computer in a horizontal or vertical position.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved structure for stabilizing a PC or computer equipment, which structure is aesthetically pleasing, non-intrusive, compact, solid, easy to retract/extend and allows through-wall cooling through the underside of a vertically mounted computer or hardware component casing.
One aspect of the invention relates to the combination of a casing for computer related equipment and a structure for enabling a bottom face of the casing to be at least partially elevated relative to a support surface for the bottom face while the computer related equipment is in use. The structure enables the casing to be stably mounted on the support surface while the casing is elevated. The structure has a shape and position causing the structure to extend beyond side walls of the casing while the structure elevates the casing to be stably mounted so the footprint of the casing while the computer related equipment is in use and the casing is elevated by the structure is greater than the footprint of the bottom face. The structure and casing are arranged so the casing receives the structure in a position between the sidewalls while the computer related equipment is not in use and the casing is not elevated by the structure so that the footprint of the casing is the same as the footprint of the bottom face.
In a first embodiment, the casing includes a recess for receiving and holding the structure while the casing is not elevated and while the casing is elevated. The structure is removable from the recess and is able to be positioned (1) in a first angular orientation while the casing is not elevated and (2) in a second angular orientation while the casing is elevated. The structure and recess are arranged so that (1) the structure, when received and held at the first orientation in the recess while the casing is not elevated has no effect on the casing bottom face footprint and (2) the structure, when received and held at the second orientation in the recess while the casing is elevated, includes (a) a bottom surface that is displaced away from the recess and casing bottom face and (b) portions on the structure bottom surface that extend beyond the side walls. The bottom surface of the structure is arranged to be supported by the support surface.
In a second embodiment, the casing carries the structure. The casing and structure are arranged so the structure is pivoted away from the casing bottom face while the casing is elevated. The structure is pivoted on the bottom face while the casing is not elevated. The structure includes a portion that is arranged to be remote from the bottom face while the casing is elevated. The portion of the structure carries a pair of feet that can extend beyond opposite walls of the casing at right angles to the casing bottom face while the casing is elevated. The feet are arranged to provide support for the casing while the casing is elevated.
In the second embodiment, an end of the structure remote from the casing bottom face and a portion of each of the feet preferably have co-planar surfaces for providing support for the casing while the casing is elevated on the support surface.
Another aspect of the invention relates to a stabilizing mechanism for a casing of computer related equipment. The mechanism includes a stabilizer arrangement adapted to be pivotally attached to a casing of the computer equipment. The stabilizer includes retractable extension arms which, in a stabilizing position of the casing, are extendable so that the effective footprint of the casing is increased. The retractable extension arms are retractable in a storage position. The stabilizer arrangement and the extension arms are arranged so that the arms are pivotable into a retraction position within the casing while the arms are retracted in the storage position.
The stabilizer arrangement, in the stabilized position, is preferably arranged to be pivoted into a position whereby the substantially downward weight of the casing prevents the stabilizer arrangement from pivoting back into the retraction position.
Preferably, the stabilizer arrangement is arranged to pivot in a plane which is substantially perpendicular to a pivot plane defined by the casing wall to which it is attached. The retractable extension arms are arranged to extend in a direction substantially perpendicular to the pivot plane.
The stabilizer mechanism preferably includes a panel having a proximal end attached to the casing by a hinge arrangement. The retractable extension arms are at a distal end of the panel. The retractable extension arms are usually spring biased for achieving the stabilizing position.
Preferably, the retractable extension arms include elongated pins adapted to be (1) biased out of apertures in the stabilizer arrangement in the stabilizing position, and (2) inserted into apertures in the stabilizer arrangement so that the stabilizer arrangement can be moved into the retraction position.
A further aspect of the invention concerns a stabilizing mechanism for a casing of computer related equipment. The mechanism includes a removable stabilizer arrangement adapted to be stored in a storage recess within the casing while the stabilizer arrangement is in a storage position. The stabilizer arrangement is arranged to be released form the recess and activated to a stabilizing position.
The stabilizer arrangement preferably includes an engagement structure adapted to be releasably engaged in the storage recess while the stabilizer arrangement is oriented in the storage position. The stabilizer arrangement is adapted to be released from the storage recess while in the stabilizing position.
Preferably, the engagement structure includes a pair of resilient members joined at proximal ends to an inside face of the stabilizing structure and includes a detent arrangement at distal ends shaped and oriented to engage with corresponding detent recesses located in the engagement recess when the stabilizing structure is in the storage position and in the stabilizing position. The stabilizing structure is typically rotatable through substantially 90 degrees between the storage position and the stabilizing position.
The stabilizing structure is preferably generally planar with dimensions such that when the stabilizing structure is in the stabilizing position, the effective footprint of the computer casing is increased and when the stabilizing structure is in the storage position, the stabilizing structure can be pushed into the storage recess and retained therein by an engagement mechanism which extends at substantially right angles therefrom and engages corresponding parts of the engagement surface. The storage recess is preferably shaped to receive the stabilizing structure when the stabilizing structure is in the storage position.